Portable media player wireless charger

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments of a wireless charging device and a method for charging a portable media player are provided. Among other things, the charging device is compact and portable so that it can easily be stowed for transport, greatly enhancing a customer&#39;s ability to use the primary portable media player without all of the problems associated with recharging, including cables that inevitably accompany a docking station device. Features of the device include collapsible prongs and a hinged arm that radially releases from the body to reveal a docking connector for charging a portable media player.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The disclosure relates to the field of portable media players and, inparticular, to a wireless charging device and associated methods forcharging a portable media player battery.

2. Background

Recharging portable media players is currently accomplished under thedocking station concept. A portable media player is placed into adocking station device (docked) and the docking station device isseparately plugged into a power source through either a power cable orthrough a USB connection to a computer. In all cases, the dockingstation device always plugs in through use of a cable for recharging thebattery of the portable media player.

The dependence of people on an enormous variety of portable electronicdevices for both business and personal use is continuously expanding.The portability of these devices allows us to communicate or enjoy musicand video, for example, without the prior restraints of power cables orphone cables. Although improving battery technology has played a bigpart in this transformation, the inevitable battery recharge is still avery pertinent aspect of any portable device. Particularly fortravelers, this means traveling, not only with the primary deviceitself, but also packing up a docking station device and the associatedcables for plugging the docking station device into a power source.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the disclosure, a wireless charging device includes abody having at least one prong configured to be connected to an AC powersource and a docking connector configured to receive a portable mediaplayer, the docking connector being electrically connected to said atleast one prong.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method for charging a portablemedia player with a wireless charging device comprising a body having atleast one prong and a docking connector electrically connected to saidat least one prong is disclosed. The method includes connecting said atleast one prong to an AC power source, and placing a portable mediaplayer onto the docking connector.

In a further aspect of the disclosure, a wireless charging deviceincludes a body having at least one prong configured to be connected toan AC power source and a docking connector configured to receive aportable media player for charging.

In yet a further aspect of the disclosure, a wireless charging deviceincludes a body having a docking connector configured to receive aportable media player for charging, and a light configured to operateindependently of the portable media player being charged.

It is understood that other embodiments of the present invention willbecome readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the followingdetailed description, wherein various embodiments of the invention areshown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, theinvention is capable of other and different embodiments and its severaldetails are capable of modification in various other respects, allwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded asillustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Various aspects of the present invention are illustrated by way ofexample, and not by way of limitation, in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary diagram of the hinged arm that radiallyreleases from the body of the wireless charging device to reveal adocking connector;

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary diagram of the wireless charging device withthe hinged arm in the closed position for easy transport;

FIG. 3 presents an exemplary diagram of the collapsible prongs forplugging into a power source;

FIG. 4 contains a representative diagram of the recessed channel in thebody of the wireless charging device wherein foam adapter inserts may beinserted into the corresponding insertion slot in the body of thecharger;

FIG. 5 shows various exemplary embodiments of the foam adapter insertscradling different size portable media players;

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary diagram of the hinged arm that radiallyreleases from the body of the wireless charging device with integratedlight and associated on/off button; and

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary diagram of the wireless charging device withthe hinged arm in the closed position for easy transport and with theintegrated light and associated on/off button.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appendeddrawings is intended as a description of various embodiments of thepresent invention and is not intended to represent the only embodimentsin which the present invention may be practiced. In describing any ofthese embodiments, the term “exemplary” may be used, which means“serving as an example, instance, or illustration,” and should notnecessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over otherembodiments disclosed herein. The detailed description includes specificdetails for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of thepresent invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that the present invention may be practiced without these specificdetails. In some instances, well-known structures and components areshown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts ofthe present invention.

The wireless charging device is compact and portable so that it caneasily be stowed for transport, greatly enhancing a consumer's abilityto use the primary portable media player without all of the problemsassociated with recharging, including the associated wires or cablesthat inevitably accompany a docking station device.

Portable media players (PMPs) are portable devices that can play orstore some form of digital media. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, depictedtherein is an embodiment of a wireless charging device 1 for rechargingthe batteries of portable media players. The wireless charging deviceincludes a body 10. The body comprises a hinged arm 20 that radiallyreleases to reveal a docking connector 30 and collapsible prongs 42 forplugging directly into an AC power source.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the wireless charging device 1 is formed so thatwhen the hinged arm 20 and the collapsible prongs 42 are received intothe body 10, the overall shape of the charger is primarily that of asmall square box of reduced depth with rounded corners and bevelededges. The compact design allows for easy stowing and transport of thewireless charging device in a manner that also prevents tearing andsnagging. The wireless charging device can alternatively be formed inmany shapes and sizes in response to, for example, market demand orfuture PMP configurations.

The body 10 comprises a case that encloses the electrical circuitry forpropagating the necessary electrical current from the AC power source toa docking connector 30 on the hinged arm 20 of the wireless chargingdevice in order to charge a PMP battery. The circuitry includes an AC toDC converter (not shown) for supplying current, preferably in the rangeof 1 Amp, to the docking connector 30. The case may be made ofnonconductive material with a textured finish and includes arectangular-shaped front surface 12 and rear surface 13 connected alongbeveled edges by a top surface 14, bottom surface 15, an exterior sidesurface 16 and an interior side surface 17.

The case is white but can be any color to appeal to an individual'staste. The case can be formed by a combination of two molded shells orany other method of forming an enclosure to house the interiorelectrical circuitry, as is well known in the art. The interior sidesurface 17, as depicted in FIG. 4, directly abuts the hinged arm of thedevice when the arm is in the closed position. The interior side surface17 has a recessed channel 18 that runs along its length that is bothwide enough and deep enough to accept and protect a docking connector 30that may be mounted on the hinged arm, when the hinged arm is rotated tothe closed position. The interior side surface also has a slot 19 formedin the upper portion of the recessed channel for receiving adapterinserts 50 that nest into the slot on the body. These adapter insertscan be made of die-cut, closed cell foam or any moldable nonconductivematerial that can be easily inserted and effectively held in the slot.The interior side 17 and top surfaces 14 are formed so as to accept thehinged arm 20 including, in an embodiment, a locking mechanism on thefree end of the arm to prevent the arm from easily swinging open. Therear surface 13 of the body is formed with a recess 41 to accept thecollapsible prongs 42.

An embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, includes two prongs 42 arrangedhorizontally that collapse downward into a recess 41 of the rear surface13 of the body. Alternative configurations include, among others, threeor more prongs, prongs arranged horizontally or vertically, or prongsthat are rotatable and collapsible. The collapsible prongs 42 areconnected to the electrical circuitry enclosed in the body (not shown)for providing a charging current to the docking connector 30.

As shown in FIG. 1, the hinged arm 20 radially releases from the body 10of the device to reveal a docking connector 30. The hinged arm 20 isattached to the body 10 so as to open in a radially downward motion froman axis that runs from the front surface 12 to the rear surface 13 ofthe body and parallel and in proximity to the bottom surface 15 andinterior side surface 17 of the body 10. FIG. 1 illustrates a devicedesigned to prevent rotation of the hinged arm 20 past a point 90° fromthe closed position, but the device can be designed so that the hingedarm 20 may rotate to any position, or multiple positions, so as topresent the docking connector 30. This can be done with the assistanceof detents 28 formed on the hinged arm 20 that operate alone or incombination with other features of the hinge to restrict motion beyond acertain point. Various embodiments of a hinge can be used such as aspring hinge with sufficient spring force to keep the arm open at a 90°position once released from the closed position. The hinged arm 20 andthe hinge work together to provide stability and support in receiving anapplied load when the PMP is fitted onto the docking connector 30.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hinged arm 20 has a case including, whenclosed, a front surface 22 and back surface 23 connected along bevelededges by a top surface 24, bottom surface 25, an exterior side surface26 and a charging seat surface 27 that forms the interior side of thearm when the arm is closed or at a position of 0° rotation. The topsurface 24 which forms the free end of the arm when in the open positionis formed with a lock tab or similar means for mating and locking thearm to the body of the charging device when closed. Other embodimentscan include any variety of closing or locking mechanisms with the meansfor accomplishing this located anywhere along the abutting surfaces ofthe arm and the body.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 6, there are many additional features of a hingedarm that can be formed in alternative embodiments to aid in the user'sability to naturally align the PMP with the docking connector byproviding the appearance of a docking terminal. These features may alsobe designed to provide added support in the retention of the PMP whiledocked so as to relieve stress placed on the docking connector 30.Additional features may include flanged frontal or rear surfaces of thehinged arm as well as forming the charging seat surface by recess orangle to help direct and support the PMP as it is cradled in the dockedposition.

As seen in FIG. 1, the wireless charger 1 is plugged into a wall outletand the hinged arm 20 is rotated to the open position at 90°. The PMP isplaced onto the docking connector 30 and is physically supported by thecombination of the hinged arm surface features, the interior recessedchannel 18 of the body, possibly an adapter insert 50, and the dockingconnector 30.

The docking connector 30 is a standard thirty pin connector with aselect number of pins dedicated to supplying an electrical charge to thePMP battery when docked. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the dockingconnector 30 is joined to the center portion of the charging seatsurface 27 in a lengthwise fashion along the axis of the arm. Thedocking connector 30 may be slightly recessed into the charging seatsurface 27 to promote support of the PMP when docked.

In alternative embodiments, the device has different adapter inserts 50that nest into a slot 19 on the charger body. As shown in FIG. 4, theseadapters slide into a slot 19 in the recessed channel 18 of the interiorside surface 17 of the body 10. The inserts 50 are formed to correspondto the dimensional aspects of various PMPs and can be made of die-cut,closed cell foam or any other material that can be easily formed toinsert and effectively hold the PMPs. See FIG. 5 for various embodimentsof the adapter insert feature.

In another embodiment, a wireless charging device (1′) is as describedabove but with a built-in light. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a lens 61 isintegrally added to the body 10′ which encloses a light emittingcomponent. The dimensions of the lens can be adjusted to permit more orless light to be transmitted or focused in particular directions asrequired. An embodiment of this feature would use Light Emitting Diode(LED) technology because of the reduced current requirements and thelower level of lighting generally desirable in a light that may be usedat night. But any soft glow lighting mechanism may be incorporated. Thelight electrical circuitry is housed in the body 10′ with an integrated,textured rubber on/off push button 65 centrally located on the frontsurface 12′ of the body 10′.

In yet another embodiment, the wireless charging device includes alight, preferably LED, that indicates to the user when the PMP ischarging.

The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in theart to practice the various embodiments described herein. Variousmodifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may beapplied to other embodiments. Thus, the claims are not intended to belimited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the fullscope consistent with the language claims, wherein reference to anelement in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one”unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structuraland functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodimentsdescribed throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to beknown to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporatedherein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims.Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to thepublic regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited inthe claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recitedusing the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, theelement is recited using the phrase “step for.”

1. A wireless charging device, comprising: a body having at least oneprong configured to be connected to an AC power source and a dockingconnector configured to receive a portable media player, the dockingconnector being electrically connected to said at least one prong. 2.The charging device of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises arecess, and wherein the at least one prong is configured to collapseinto the recess.
 3. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the dockingconnector comprises a 30 pin connector.
 4. The charging device of claim1, wherein the body further comprises a light configured to operateindependently of the portable media player being received by the dockingconnector.
 5. The charging device of claim 4, wherein the lightcomprises a lens formed with the body, the lens enclosing a lightemitting component.
 6. The charging device of claim 5, wherein the lightemitting component comprises a Light Emitting Diode (LED).
 7. Thecharging device of claim 5, wherein the body further comprises an on/offbutton electrically connected with the light emitting component and theat least one prong.
 8. The charging device of claim 1, wherein the bodyfurther comprises a hinged arm configured to radially release from thebody.
 9. The charging device of claim 8, wherein the hinged arm furthercomprises detents configured to prevent rotation of the hinged arm pasta predefined point.
 10. The charging device of claim 8, wherein thehinged arm supports the docking connector.
 11. The charging device ofclaim 10, wherein the body further comprises a recessed channelconfigured to receive the docking connector.
 12. The charging device ofclaim 11, wherein the recessed channel further comprises a slot, andwherein adapter inserts are configured to be received into the slot forengaging and supporting the portable media player.
 13. The chargingdevice of claim 12, wherein the adapter inserts are made of die-cut,closed cell foam.
 14. A method for charging a portable media player witha wireless charging device comprising a body having at least one prongand a docking connector electrically connected to said at least oneprong, the method comprising: connecting said at least one prong to anAC power source; and placing a portable media player onto the dockingconnector.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the body furthercomprises a recess, the method further comprising releasing the at leastone prong from the recess.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the bodyfurther comprises a hinged arm, the method further comprising rotatingthe hinged arm radially from the body.
 17. The method of claim 14,wherein the body further comprises a recessed channel having a slot, themethod further comprising inserting an adapter insert into the slot toengage and support the portable media player.
 18. The method of claim 14wherein the body further comprises a light and wherein the wirelesscharging device further comprises an on/off button, the method furthercomprising pressing the on/off button to activate a light.
 19. Awireless charging device, comprising: a body having at least one prongconfigured to be connected to an AC power source and a docking connectorconfigured to receive a portable media player for charging.
 20. Thecharging device of claim 19, wherein the body further comprises arecess, and wherein the at least one prong is configured to collapseinto the recess.
 21. The charging device of claim 19, wherein thedocking connector comprises a 30 pin connector.
 22. The charging deviceof claim 19, wherein the body further comprises a light configured tooperate independently of the portable media player being charged. 23.The charging device of claim 22, wherein the light comprises a lensformed with the body and a light emitting component enclosed by thelens.
 24. The charging device of claim 23, wherein the light emittingcomponent comprises a Light Emitting Diode (LED).
 25. The chargingdevice of claim 23, wherein the body further comprises an on/off buttonconfigured to control the light emitting component.
 26. The chargingdevice of claim 19, wherein the body further comprises a hinged armconfigured to radially release from the body.
 27. The charging device ofclaim 26, wherein the hinged arm further comprises detents configured toprevent rotation of the hinged arm past a predefined point.
 28. Thecharging device of claim 26, wherein the hinged arm supports the dockingconnector.
 29. The charging device of claim 28, wherein the body furthercomprises a recessed channel configured to receive the dockingconnector.
 30. The charging device of claim 29, wherein the recessedchannel further comprises a slot, and wherein adapter inserts areconfigured to be received into the slot for engaging and supporting theportable media player.
 31. The charging device of claim 30, wherein theadapter inserts are made of die-cut, closed cell foam.
 32. A wirelesscharging device, comprising: a body having a docking connectorconfigured to receive a portable media player for charging, and a lightconfigured to operate independently of the portable media player beingcharged.
 33. The charging device of claim 32, wherein the body furthercomprises at least one prong configured to be connected to an AC powersource.
 34. The charging device of claim 33, wherein the body furthercomprises a recess, and wherein the at least one prong is configured tocollapse into the recess.
 35. The charging device of claim 32, whereinthe docking connector comprises a 30 pin connector.
 36. The chargingdevice of claim 32, wherein the light comprises a lens formed with thebody and a light emitting component enclosed by the lens.
 37. Thecharging device of claim 36, wherein the light emitting componentcomprises a Light Emitting Diode (LED).
 38. The charging device of claim37, wherein the body further comprises an on/off button configured tocontrol the light emitting component.
 39. The charging device of claim32, wherein the body further comprises a hinged arm configured toradially release from the body.
 40. The charging device of claim 39,wherein the hinged arm further comprises detents configured to preventrotation of the hinged arm past a predefined point.
 41. The chargingdevice of claim 39, wherein the hinged arm supports the dockingconnector.
 42. The charging device of claim 41, wherein the body furthercomprises a recessed channel configured to receive the dockingconnector.
 43. The charging device of claim 42, wherein the recessedchannel further comprises a slot, and wherein adapter inserts areconfigured to be received into the slot for engaging and supporting theportable media player.
 44. The charging device of claim 43, wherein theadapter inserts are made of die-cut, closed cell foam.